2018-10-01_Reader_s_Digest_AUNZ

TECH

22 | October• 2018

argumentsweremoredismissiveof

the contrary opinions.

Experts chalk this up to perceived

anonymity of the web. “People are

a lot bolder on Facebook than they

are in real life,” says etiquette expert

Wendy Mencel. “here is a disconnect

between what they write and how it

comes across – they forget their words

canofend people.”

Inlightoftheseindings,the

researchers advise people to work out

their diferences by talking in person

instead of iring up the keyboard.

Whileit’seasyfortemperstolare

over social media, meeting face-to-

facecansmoothoutdisagreements

andevencreatecompromise.

Sothenexttimeyouringers

areitchingtojoinaparticularly

passionate social media debate,

consider scheduling a lunch date

or phone call instead.

LET’SBEHONEST,most of us are

guilty of committing a social media

fauxpasortwo.Butnetiquette

expertsadvisetostayawayfrom

thekeyboardwhenitcomesto

hot-button topics. It’s not just a

sign you’re sharing way too much

on Facebook; research has found

youmightresponddiferentlytoan

opinion you read online.

To prove the point, researchers at

University of California, Berkeley

andUniversityofChicagorecruited

300volunteerstoread,watch

or listen to arguments about

controversialtopics.henthey

answered questions about the

opinions they disagreed with.

he people who heard or watched

someonetalkaboutopposingviews

were less likely to characterise the

speakeras‘uninformedorheartless’.

However, those who read the

Avoid Online Arguments

BY BROOKE NELSON

Socialmediaisnot

thebestplacefor

disagreements

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES